Snowmobiles and other vehicles used for recreational purposes such as all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), personal watercraft and the like have a handlebar for steering and a throttle lever on the handlebar for controlling vehicle speed. Conventionally, the throttle lever is pivotally mounted to the handlebar so that it pivots towards and away from the handlebar in response to the driver's pushing or releasing of the throttle lever to increase or decrease speed of the vehicle. The driver typically uses his or her thumb to operate the throttle lever with an over-the-handlebar grip while travelling in a forward direction. While executing sharp turns, the driver leans in the direction of the turn pulling the handlebar closer to the body. The driver's hand and arm may be positioned at such a severe angle with respect to one another that, as the driver turns the handlebar, the driver must rotate his or her hand around the handlebar to an under-the-handlebar grip, and use the index finger and/or middle finger to operate the throttle lever to maintain or increase the speed of the snowmobile. It is therefore desirable to have a throttle lever that permits a stable and secure grip on the throttle lever regardless of the finger used for gripping.
Some drivers may also prefer to use an over-the-handle finger grip instead of an over-the-handle thumb grip. Furthermore, during extended rides, the driver's hand remains in a fixed position exerting force on the throttle lever to regulate the speed of the snowmobile. Maintaining the same hand position for long periods of time can be tiring for the driver. Some of this discomfort may be alleviated by changing the grip. It would therefore be desirable to have a throttle lever that can be adjusted for different over-the-handle grips according to the driver's preference.